Carton and insert



May 28, 1968 E. A. THOMPSON ETAL CARTON AND INSERT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April .1, 1966 INVENTORS EDWIN A. THOMPSON JAMES M. LOFTIS 22 FIGBA ATTORNEYS THEIR May 28, 1968 r s. A. THOMPSON ETAL 3,385,424

CARTON AND INSERT Filed April .1, 1966 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS EDWIN A.THOMPSON JAMES M. LOFTIS THEIR ATTORNEYS y 1968 E. A. THOMPSON ETAL. 3,385,424

CARTON AND INSERT Filed April 11, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVE NTOR S EDWIN A. THOMPSON JAMES M. LOFTIS I 3;... FIGJO BY THEIR ATTORNEYS y 1968 E. A. THOMPSON ETAL 3,385,424

CARTON AND I NS ERT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April .1, 1966 INVENTOR S EDWIN A. THOMPSON JAMES M. LOFTIS THEIR ATTDRNEYS 3,385,424 CARTON AND INSERT Edwin A. Thompson, Costa Mesa, and James M. Loftis, Long Beach, Calif., assignors to Robertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 11, 1966, S81. No. 541,641 18 Claims. (Cl. 206-4519) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application discloses a container having a horizontal rectangular bottom, a rectangular vertical front side, a rectangular vertical rear side and rectangular end sides which form an open top container. A rectangular cover, with hinge means secured to the container, covers and uncovers said open top. A rectangular content supporting board is insertable in and removable from said container through said open top. Holding means on said cover extend into the container a sufficient distance to engage and hold the supporting board down on the bottom when the cover is folded down and to disengage and release said supporting board when said cover is unfolded up to open position. Suitable means are provided to fasten said cover in folded down condition and to release said cover when desired.

This invention relates to a carton and insert.

The insert may include a relatively rigid supporting board which carries one or more articles to be displayed in or out of the carton and/or transported in the carton. Such articles, or carton contents, may be covered and held on the supporting board by a transparent plastic film which may be secured or folded over the articles and against the top surface of the board by a thermal-vacuum procedure. The supporting board may be securely held on the top surface of the bottom of the carton, for example, by flaps carried at the ends of the carton cover.

The carton may have rectangular faces, i.e., sides, top and bottom and thus may be in the general shape of a parallelepiped. Preferably it may be made from a flat blank with suitable fold lines, flaps, etc., so that the blank may be folded into such parallelepiped shape so that the folded carton has a rectangular bottom, front side, rear side, cover, and end sides. The cover may be integral with the top of the rear side and may have an integral flat cover extension which folds over the top edge of the front side of the carton. The cover has integral end flaps which fold into the interior of the carton and firmly hold the supporting board against the carton bottom. The flat cover extension has end flaps which fold into slots in folds of the end sides of the carton securely to hold the carton cover in folded down position. This, in turn firmly holds the supporting board down against the carbon bottom. The fiat cover extension can be effectively sealed in its folded down position merely by an adhesive tape which may be adhered to the cover extension, bent around the front lower edge of the carton, and adhered to the bottom of the carton.

If desired, easily removable packing material may be placed in the carton over the then transparent film. Such packing may be shredded paper and the like.

If desired, the carton may be made relatively long in length, relatively narrow in width, and relatively shallow in depth. The supporting board and the flat blank for the carton may be made of corrugated paper board with the corrugations extending parallel to the long length of the carton and supporting board to provide greatest strength in the direction of such relatively long length.

Thus, a very effective carton construction is provided which permits the carton contents to be attractively displayed in or out of the carton, removed from and re- United States Patent "ice 3,385,424 Patented May 28, 1968 placed in the carton, and to be safely transported to the place of use.

Other features of this invention are apparent from this description, the appended claimed subject matter, and/ or the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an open container according to this invention, before the supporting board and supported contents have been inserted in the container.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing a later stage with the contents mounted on a supporting board, and with contents and supporting board placed on the bottom of the container.

FIGURE 3 shows a stage of assembly after FIGURE 2, and in which the cover has been partially folded over the top of the container.

FIGURE 4 shows an assembly stage following FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 shows an assembly stage following FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 6 shows the final assembly stage following FIGURE 5, and showing the container completely closed and sealed ready for shipment.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged horizontal diagrammatic cross section along the line 77 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross section along the line S8 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8A is a cross section along the line 8A8A of FIGURE 2, similar to FIGURE 8, but showing the other end of the container.

FIGURE 9 is a cross section along the line 99 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of the content supporting board, with the contents secured thereon, and with a portion of the board in cross section.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged diagrammatic cross section along the line 1111 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic plan view, partly in cross section, of a blank for producing the container of this invention.

FIGURE 13 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the blank of FIGURE 12 partly folded in the procedure of producing the container.

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13, but showing a later stage following the stage of FIGURE 13, and just prior to the stage shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged diagrammatic cross section of the content supporting board, taken along the line 1515 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged diagrammatic cross section taken substantially along the line 16-16 of FIGURE 12.

While the blank of FIGURE 12 and the supporting board of FIGURE 10 are preferably made of corrugated board, as indicated in FIGURES 10, 12, 15 and 16, such corrugated construction is not illustrated in the remaining figures, because of the smallness of the scale. However, it is to be understood that such corrugated construction may be used in such remaining figures.

A container 20, according to this invention, may be formed from the blank 21, FIGURE 12, and may be formed into a generally rectangular box or parallelepiped having a rectangular bottom wall, top wall or cover, and side walls. As shown in FIGURE 1 the container is in open condition and has a horizontal rectangular bottom 22, an unfolded top cover 24, a vertical front side 26, a vertical rear side 28 with a top edge to which the top cover 24 is hinged by integral fold or hinge means, and end sides 39 and 32. The container 20 has a top that is open in readiness to receive the content supporting board 34 through said open top, shown in FIGURES 2, 10 and 11, to which the various contents 36 are secured, for example, by a flexible film 38, in a manner to be described.

The supporting board 34 may fit snugly, but removably, adjacent the inner surfaces of the container sides 26, 28, 30 and 32.

After the supporting board 34 has been placed in the container 20, through said open top, as shown in FIG- URE 2, suitable packing material, such as shredded paper, not shown, may be placed over the supported products or container contents 36. Then the flaps 40 and 42 and the cover 24 may be folded forwardly, as shown in FIGURE 2, and then the cover 24 and flaps may be folded forwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 3. At this time, the flaps 40 and 42 enter the inside of the box or container 20 and the ends 44 and 46 of the flaps 42 will be forced down against the upper surface of the supporting board 34, FIGURE 9, firmly to hold the supporting board 34 down against the bottom 22.

The cover or top 24 may be provided with a flat rectangular end or forward extension 48 which is provided with side or end flaps 50 and 52. The flaps 50 and 52 are provided with rounded edges 54 and 56. The extension 48 may be folded downwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 4, to the down position 48 of FIGURE 5, at which time the flaps 50 and 52 have entered the slots 58 and 60, in the end sides 30 and 32 of the container, which end sides 30 and 32 will be more fully described.

After the container has been folded to the stage shown in FIGURE 5, a suitable seal 62, FIGURE 6, may be secured to the end extension 48, and to the bottom 22 to seal and secure the container and contents ready for shipment to any desired place.

The seal 62 may be an adhesive tape of substantial width, which may be adhered to the extension 48 and under surface of the bottom 22 and bent along the extension edge 63. When desired, such seal 42 may be cut or broken along the edge 63 of the extension 48, to open the container for removing or dis laying the contents 36 of the container.

Returning to FIGURE 2, the container may be opened to the position shown in FIGURE 2, with the contents 36 visible through the film 38, which may be a transparent film, to be viewed without removing the supporting board 34 from the container 28, or the contents 36 and board 34 may be removed through the uncovered open top of FIGURE 2 for more thorough viewing of the contents, or for complete removal of the contents for use where desired. Also, the board 34 and contents 36 may be returned to the container 20 through such open top after they have been removed for closer viewing of the contents 36.

The contents 36 may be any suitable products to be sold or otherwise distributed. For example, they may include a thermostat for a domestic range oven or the like, with suitable parts to accompany the thermostat, such as suitable dials for operating the thermostat and other parts for connecting the thermostat as desired. The film 38 may be a thermo-responsive polyethylene film, which may be pulled down tightly around the contents 36 by a thermo vacuum process, in which the vacuum is imposed on the underside of the film 38 through suitable openings 64 in the top layer 66, FIGURE 15, of the corrugated supporting board 34. The supporting board may have an upper thick paper layer 66, a corrugated paper layer 68, and a bottom relatively flat paper layer 70, similar to the fiat layer 66.

A typical container 20 may be 16 inches long, inches wide, and 3 inches deep, outside dimensions. The corrugated board 34 may be of a total width of 4 inches and inches long, more or less, with the openings 64 being spaced apart inch more or less. The board 34 may be from y -inch thick, more or less. The openings may extend through the upper layer 66 and occasionally through the corrugated layer 68, as shown in FIGURE 15, in a sufiicient number of places, so that the vacuum can be transmitted through the upper layer 66 substantially to the entire underside of the film 38, as shown in FIGURE 15 Suitable openings may be provided in the lower layer 70, if desired, for applying the vacuum. The film 38 is not corrugated, but extends upwardly around the contents 36 and is held in flat condition on the board 34 around the various pieces which are the contents 36. Such vacuum process is now well known.

When the film 36 has been secured to the board 34 with the contents 36 under the film 38, such contents 36 may be viewed while in the container 20 or while the supporting board is removed from the container.

The container forming blank may also be made of corrugated board, which may have a flat upper paper layer 74, FIGURE 16, an intermediate corrugated paper layer 76, and a lower flat paper layer 78. In a container of the size heretofore indicated, the corrugated board for the wall of the container or the blank 72, may be -inch thick, more or less.

In the supporting board 34 and in the walls of the container 20, the corrugations preferably run parallel to the length of the box or container, in a manner to provide the greatest strength lengthwise of the box, since the length is relatively great, compared to the transverse dimensions. The transverse dimensions of the bottom, top, and the sides are relatively small, and hence the corrugated boards are sufiiciently strong transversely t0 the corrugations to resist bending actions that are likely to be produced on the supporting board 34, or the outer walls of the container.

The blank shown in FIGURE 12, for forming the container 20 may include the generally rectangular bottom 22, surrounded by fold lines 80, 82, 84 and 86. The front side 26 may be united with the bottom 22 by the fold line 82 and may be united with the flaps 88 and 90 by the fold lines 92 and 94. The rear side 28 may be surrounded by the fold lines 80, 96, 98, and 100. The top or cover 24 may be surrounded by fold lines 100, 102, 104, and 106. The fiat end extension 48 may be joined by the fold line 106 to the cover 24 and be joined to the fiaps 50 and 52 by the fold lines 108 and 110. The flaps 40 and 42 may be joined to the cover 24 by the fold lines 102 and 104. The flaps 88 and 90 may be joined to the front side 26 by the fold lines 92 and 94. The rear side 28 may be provided with flaps 112 and 114 which are joined to the rear side 28 by the fold lines 96 and 98. The flap 112 may be provided with a central fold line 116, to separate the flap 112 into sections 118 and 120. The flap 114 may be provided with a central fold line 122 to provide sections 124 and 126.

The bottom 22 may be provided with extensions 128 and 130. The extension 128 may be provided with parallel fold lines 132 and 134 to provide vertical sections 136 and 138 and a horizontal section 140. The parallel fold lines 132 and 134 may be spaced A -inch apart, more or less. These sections 134, 136, and 140 when folded together as shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 8, produce the end side 30. The extension 130 may be provided with parallel fold lines 142 and 144, which may be spaced apart A -inch, more or less. These fold lines 142 and 144 produce the vertical sections 146 and 148, and the horizontal section 158 of FIGURES 1, 2 and 8A. When the sections 146, 148 and 150 are folded they produce the vertical end side 32.

The sections 136 and 148 may be provided respectively with tongues 152 and 154, which may be pushed, respectively, into openings or indentations 156 and 158 which may be punched into the upper layer 74 of bottom 22 to receive such tongues 152 and 154, and to hold the sections 136 and 148 in vertical positions.

As shOWn in FIGURE 13, the rear side 28, the cover 24 and the extension 48 may be folded upwardly from the bottom 22 along the fold line 80. The extensions 120 and 124 may be folded forwardly along the fold lines 96 and 98, and then the extensions 118 and 126 may be folded backwardly. This forms the vertical fold edges 12 5, 127.

Thereafter, according to FIGURE 14, the front side 26 may be folded upwardly along the fold line 82 and the flaps 88 and 90 may be folded backwardly along the fold lines 92 and 94.

The difference in Width between the double thicknesses at 124, 126 and 118, 120 and the single thicknesses 88 and 90 at the fold edges 125 and 127 provide the vacant slots 58 and 60, FIGURES l and 2 which receive the end flaps 50 and 52, as indicated in FIGURE 4.

As is shown in FIGURE 1, the extensions 128 and 130 may be folded up along the fold lines 84 and 86, FIGURE 12, to produce the end sides 30 and 32, with slots 58 and 60 later to receive the flaps 50 and 52, as in FIGURES 4 and 7.

In assembling the container 20, the blank 21 of FIG- URE 12 is first folded as shown in FIGURE 13, then as shown in FIGURE 14 and then as shown in FIGURE 1. Then the supporting board 34, with the contents 36 secured thereon by film 38, is placed over the bottom 22 of FIGURE 1 to produce the condition of FIGURE 2.

The insertion of the supporting board 34 into the container, as shown in FIGURE 2, securely locks in place the vertical inner sections 136 and 148 of the end walls 30 and 32.

Thereafter, packing such as shredded paper, not shown, may be inserted to fill the space above the contents 36 in FIGURE 2.

Then the cover 24 is folded forwardly to the position of FIGURE 3. Then the flaps 50 and 52 of FIGURE 3 are folded down, as shown in FIGURE 4. Then such flaps 50 and 52 of FIGURE 4 are inserted in the slots 58 and 60 by folding down the end extension 48 to produce the condition shown in FIGURES 5 and 7.

The edges 160, 162 of the flaps 50 and 52, as shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 12 enter into the slots 58 and 60 and move upwardly under the upper horizontal sections 140 and 150 of the end walls 30 and 32 and lock the cover 24 against upward movement, after the container has been folded to the condition of FIGURES 5 and 6.

When the seal 62 is applied to hold the extension 48 in folded position, all of the parts have cooperated to lock and hold the cover securely in closed position with very small stress on the seal 62.

For example, the supporting board 34 locks the parts of end walls 30 and 32 securely in place. Then the edges 44 and 46 of the end flaps 40 and 42 lock the supporting board 34 in place when the cover 24 is folded down, as in FIGURES 3 and 9. Then the end flaps 50 and 52 lock the cover down in place when the edges 160 and 162 of the flaps 50 and 52 engage the under sides of the end wall horizontal sections 140 and 150, when the extension 48 is folded down during the stage of FIGURE 5. Then the seal 62 of FIGURE 6 locks the end extension 48 in folded condition with practically no stresses being imposed on the seal 62. The container 20 and its contents are then ready for transportation or storage when desired.

Certain words may be used in this specification and claimed subject matter, which indicate direction, relative position and the like. These words are used only in connection with the illustrations and the drawings, and it is to be understood that in actual use, the parts so described may have entirely different direction, relative position and the like. Examples of such words are upper, lower, vertical, horizontal, etc.

Thus it is to be seen that a homogeneous or one-piece container 20 has been made from the blank 21 of FIG- URE 12. Such container is of improved, useful and unobvious construction. Also such container 20 with the supporting board 34 and contents 36 provides an improved, useful and unobvious construction.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by statute, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claimed subject matter which follows.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination: a container having a generally horizontal rectangular bottom, a generally rectangular vertical front side, a generally rectangular vertical rear side with a top edge, generally rectangular end sides with flap receiving slots at their front edges, said bottom, top side, rear side and end sides forming a container with an open top, a rectangular cover with hinge means secured to the top edge of said rear side to be folded and unfolded to cover and uncover said open top, and a flat cover extension secured to the front edge of said cover and folded in front of said front side; a rectangular content supporting board on said bottom insertable in and removable from said container through said open top and fitting snugly adjacent said front, rear and end sides; flap means on said cover extending into said container a sufficient distance to engage and hold said supporting board down on said bottom when said cover is folded down to closed condition and to disengage and release said supporting board when said cover is unfolded up to open condition; and flaps on the ends of said cover extension and inserted into said slots and holding said cover in folded down condition.

2. A combination according to claim 1 in which said container is a one-piece container.

3. A combination according to claim 1 in which said supporting board supports articles on its top surface, and transparent film means extends over said articles and is secured to the surface of said board.

4. A combination according to claim 3 in which said film means is a plastic film extending over said articles and is sealed to the top surface of said board.

5. A combination according to claim 4 in which said board snugly and removably fits along the inner surfaces of said front side, rear side and end sides.

6. A combination according to claim 1 in which said container is a one-piece container and said end sides each includes: a rear flap secured to one of the ends of said rear side, which flap is folded forwardly and then backwardly to include a reverse fold; a front flap secured to one of the ends of said front side and is folded backwardly with its end adjacent said reverse fold; and another flap secured to one of the ends of said bottom which flap is folded upwardly to form an outer vertical wall outside said first two flaps, then is folded inwardly to form a short horizontal wall, and then folded downwardly inside said first two flaps to form an inner vertical wall with said slot being formed between said front flap and one of said vertical walls.

7. A combination according to claim 6 in which said flaps on the ends of said cover extension each includes a straight edge which engages said short horizontal wall to hold said cover in folded down position.

8. A combination according to claim 7 in which said flap means on said cover are inside of and immediately adjacent said inner vertical wall.

9. A combination according to claim 1 in which an adhesive tape is adhered to said cover extension and to the under side of said bottom.

10. In combination: a container having a generally horizontal rectangular bottom, a generally rectangular vertical front side, a generally rectangular vertical rear side with a top edge, generally rectangular end sides with flap receiving slots at their front edges, said bottom, front side, rear side, and end sides forming a container with an open top, a rectangular cover with hinge means secured to said top edge of said rear side to be folded and unfolded to cover and uncover said open top, and a flat cover extension secured to the front edge of said cover and folded in front of said front side, said container being adapted to receive a rectangular content supporting board on said bottom insertable in and removable from said container through said open top and fitting snugly adjacent said front, rear and end sides; flap means on said cover extending into said container a sutficient distance to engage and to hold said supporting board down on said bottom when said cover is folded down to closed condition and to disengage and release said supporting board when said cover is unfolded up to open position; flaps on the ends of said cover extension and inserted into said slots and holding said cover in folded down condition, said container being a one-piece container and said end sides each including: a rear flap secured to one of the ends of said rear side, which fiap is folded forwardly and then backwardly to include a reverse fold; a front flap secured to one of the ends of said front side and is folded backwardly with its end adjacent said reverse fold; and another flap secured to one of the ends of said bottom which flap is folded upwardly to form an outer vertical wall outside said first two flaps, then is folded inwardly to form a short horizontal wall, and then folded downwardly inside said first two flaps to form an inner vertical wall with said slot being formed between said front flap and one of said vertical walls, and in which said flaps on the ends of said cover extension each includes a straight edge which engages said short horizontal wall to hold said cover in folded down position, and in which said flaps on said cover extension are inside and immediately adjacent said inner vertical wall, and in which an adhesive tape is adhered to said cover extension and to the under side of said bottom.

11. A combination according to claim 10 in which said supporting board is inserted in said container when said cover is unfolded up to open position and is engaged and held down by said flap means, on said cover when said cover is folded down to closed position.

12. A combination according to claim 11 in which said container has one dimension longer than its other two dimensions, and in which said container is made from a single corrugated board with the corrugations all parallel to said longer dimension, and in which said supporting board has a corresponding dimension longer than its other two dimensions, and in which said supporting board is made of corrugated board with its corrugations all parallel to said longer dimension.

13. A combination according to claim 11 in which said container has one dimension longer than its other two dimensions, and in which said container is made from a single corrugated board with the corrugations all parallel to said longer dimension.

14. In combination: a container having a generally horizontal rectangular bottom, a generally rectangular vertical front container side, an opposite generally rectangular vertical rear container side, two opposite generally rectangular end container sides, said bottom, front container side, rear container side and end container sides forming a container with an open top; a rectangular cover with opposite pairs of cover edges, said cover having hinge means at one cover edge of one of said pairs of cover edges, said hinge means being secured to the upper portion of one of said container sides to cover and uncover said open top, said cover having a flat cover extension secured to the opposite cover edge of said one pair of cover edges, said cover extension being folded down outside and adjacent the opposite one of said container sides; a rectangular content supporting board on said bottom with board edges snugly adjacent said container sides; holding means on said cover extending into said container engaging and holding said supporting board down on said bottom when said cover is folded down to closed condition and disengaging and releasing said supporting board when said cover is unfolded up to open condition; and means to fasten said cover extension in folded down condition.

15. A combination according to claim 14' in which said container has one dimension longer than its other two dimensions, and in which said container is made from a single corrugated board with the corrugations of said board being all parallel to said longer dimension.

16. A combination according to claim 15 in which said supporting board has a corresponding dimension longer than its other two dimensions, and in which said supporting board is made of corrugated board with its corrugations all parallel to said longer dimension.

17. A combination according to claim 1 in which said container has one dimension longer than its other two dimensions, and in which said container is made from a single corrugated board with the corrugations of said board being all parallel to said longer dimension.

18. A combination according to claim 17 in which said supporting board has a corresponding dimension longer than its other two dimensions, and in which said supporting board is made of corrugated board with its corrugations all parallel to said longer dimension.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,710,094 6/1955 Rau 229-31 3,112,058 11/1963 Martin 229-36 3,116,825 1/1964 Thomas 206-4519 3,246,745 4/ 1966 Stoker 206- WILLIAM T. DIXSON, JR., Primary Examiner. 

